Environment

Goal:

About Environmental Data

Note: Environmental data is different from most other data sources in this report. Environmental data is decentralized by Regions (EPA and Michigan) and by Divisions (Air, Climate, Land, Pollution, Waste and Water). Unlike data in other sections of this report, environmental data is not collected solely by city, county or state but by flow patterns of air, water, and land (i.e., the data for water and dioxin is for the Saginaw and Tittabawassee Rivers not just Midland County; and air pollution for Midland County includes Saginaw and Bay Counties). In Michigan, the county and city data many times are limited to specific environmental issues (i.e., pollution in Detroit) or hazards (i.e., oil spill on the Kalamazoo River).

Since Environmental Data is collected by region and by environmental issue, in some instances, measurements exist for Midland County but in others they do not (i.e., carcinogens to the air data is measured in 51 counties in Michigan including Midland but carcinogens to water has no measurement taken in Midland County). Thus, even the EPA data is collected by region (i.e., Lake Michigan) and pollutants (i.e., water, air, etc.) but not by state unless there is an environmental action needed (i.e., EPA Superfund site).

In this section we attempted to gather data that 1) directly impacted Midland County; 2) that impacted the Midland County region (including Saginaw, Bay, and Genesee Counties); and 3) that impacted Midland County indirectly (i.e., transportation dioxin pollution). Last, we used third party databases who collect and analyze regional and local data to formulate a more robust picture of Midland County for comparisons.

Measure

This measurement includes the 2008 and 2011 State of
Michigan’s Environment Triennial Reports; Information from MIAIR; SWIMS; EPA;
2009 Air Quality Report; and other Department of Environmental Qualities
Reports, Measures, and Data Releases, including EPA Area of Concern Reports and
Michigan Department of Community Health’s Environmental Impact Studies
(especially mercury and air quality measures).

Why This Indicator is Important

Public Act 195 of 1999 (Environmental Indicators
Act) required that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) work
with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to prepare biennial
reports on the quality of the state's environment based on scientifically
supportable environmental indicators and using sound scientific methodologies.
The 2008 Triennial Report is divided into three sections: environmental
measures, programmatic measures, and emergent contaminants of concern in
Michigan to help inform citizens on the impact of our actions on the
environment. In Michigan, our dependence on water resources impacts the uses of
land, air and water quality. The significance of knowledge of environmental
parameters helps us understand that the impact of the environment needs to be
considered more thoroughly, including a master plan and a more formalized
connection between the environmental factors and community health, economic
development, and well-being. Environmental knowledge and the proper
consideration of its effects are essential.

Public Transportation accounts
for more than 30 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. According to the
American Public Transportation Association (APTA), public transportation in the
US saves approximately 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline and about 1.5 million
tons of carbon dioxide annually. Yet only 14 million Americans use public transportation
daily while 88 percent of all trips in the United States are made by car, and
many of those cars carry only one person.

Safety—Riding a bus is
79 times safer than riding in an automobile, and riding a train or subway is
even safer.

Health—Studies have
shown that people who use public transportation regularly tend to be healthier
than people who do not, because of the exercise they get walking to and from bus
stops, subway stations and their homes and offices.

Cost
savings—According to an APTA study, families that use public transportation can
reduce their household expenses by $6,200 annually, more than the average U.S.
household spends on food every year.

How Are We Doing?

The Midland MIAIR Air Quality Index (AQI), is a median value, which considers the most hazardous air pollutants such as Suspended Particulate (TSP), Lead (TSP), STP Carbon Monoxide (CO), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Ozone, Particulate Matter (PM)10, Particulate Matter (PM)2.5 and water quality of the area and watershed vulnerability. The Midland MIAIR quality index score is less than the Michigan average and equal to the national average. The Midland County, Michigan pollution index is the sum of the most hazardous air pollutants displayed in pounds. The EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) (2010) provides a historical comparison on Air Quality (MIAIR Historical data) that shows increasing Air Quality in Midland County over the past three years by looking at both the days with good air quality and median days below 50, where Midland County’s AQI was between 37 and 40 (2007-2010). As the AQI increases (above 50), an increasingly large percentage of the population is likely to experience increasingly severe adverse health effects. Air quality index values are divided into ranges, and each range is assigned a descriptor and a color code. Standardized public health advisories are associated with each AQI range (0-50 good for level of health concern).